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tailgating group

A short weekend at the Vegas Bowl

It was the only bowl game that we would be able to attend this season, given our other travel commitments. And it ended up being the one that ASU was invited to. We got the official word that ASU’s bowl game would be in Las Vegas while we were on the other side of the … Read more

My #BattlefieldsandBeginnings road trip

15 days. 2,486 miles. 31 new national parks. In March 2013, I had one of my most productive national park road trips. I called it my #BattlefieldsandBeginnings trip, and it primarily focused on as-yet-unvisited national parks in Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland. I also snuck in a quick jaunt over the Pennsylvania border to hit Gettysburg and … Read more

2012 was among my best trip years yet

While I’ve had some amazing travel years, 2012 surprisingly ranks near the top. I made it to 39 national park units I had not yet visited, took my first big solo national park road trip, visited a few new states and two new parts of the country, made it to the first Graham family reunion … Read more

my forester at chaco culture nhp

Roadtripping the national parks in my Forester

Since its purchase in 2006, my Subaru Forester—named Betsy—has been a constant companion in my quest to visit every national park unit. The vehicle has transported Kim and I on some of our best road trips, whether that’s our Great American Roadtrip in 2007, our wedding post-wedding roadtrip in 2008, or many others. There have … Read more

mojave_npres

Our Mojave National Preserve roadtrip

It was February 2009 when Kim and I brought friends Victoria and Terry on a short roadtrip to California. Our primary destination was Mojave National Preserve, a national park unit tucked away between I-15 and I-40 near the borders of California, Nevada, and Arizona. It was a first visit for Kim and I, who had … Read more

horseshoe bend

National Parks I visited in 2010

2010 was an uncommon year for me in my national park quest. For years and years, Kim and I would have gone on several trips each year, all with the sole purpose of marking dozens of parks off of our list. This year, things had changed. Even so, I was able to make it to … Read more

uss cairo

Pleasant surprises in the national parks

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about my national park quest is that it pushes me to visit places I wouldn’t otherwise visit. It encourages me to step outside of what I know and am interested in to at least dabble in something new. I may not come away with a deep appreciation of … Read more

Roadtripping without our Forester

It feels like we’re being unfaithful. In less than 72 hours, Kim and I will be departing on another of our national park roadtrips. It’ll be the first time we’ll be roadtripping sans Forester since we got her. It feels a little weird. It’s the right decision to leave her at home – she’s in … Read more

Our winter National Parks roadtrip: LA, MS, AL

It’s nearly the holidays, and that means that Kim and I are planning another roadtrip. Usually, this trip is half-planned for us: it’s often centered around which bowl game ASU will be playing in. Sadly, that hasn’t been the case the last couple of years. Last year, we took advantage of the planning freedom afforded … Read more